Director of Music

Hugh Lydon

Hugh Lydon began his musical development in 1992 as a chorister at Westminster Cathedral. Under the tutelage of James O’Donnell, Hugh began familiarising himself with the various pillars of sacred choral music, developing a particular love of Gregorian Chant and the music of the Renaissance period.

Throughout the five years he spent at the Cathedral, Hugh was fortunate to sing, record and tour with a variety of prominent choirs, composers and orchestras throughout the world. He appeared on television numerous times, and performed at venues as diverse as the Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall, St John’s Smith Square, Wigmore Hall, and the Royal Festival Hall.

In Hugh’s final year at Westminster Cathedral, the choir received the Gramophone Awards for both ‘Best Choral Recording of the Year’ and ‘Record of the Year’ for the performance of Martin’s Mass for Double Choir and Pizzetti’s Requiem, the only time a cathedral choir has won either of these categories.

Hugh was a music scholar at Ampleforth College in Yorkshire from 1997-2002 & was a member of the Schola Cantorum; a choir established by Cardinal Basil Hume and David Bowman to perform and promote Sacred Choral Music. Such experts as Simon Wright, Ian Little and Richard Hill also helped to develop his music education.

After finishing his schooling, Hugh studied Music Education at Trinity College Dublin for four years. Whilst there he started to conduct, although mainly orchestral opportunities presented themselves at this time. Hugh did continue to sing in many highly accomplished choirs, including the Rodolfus Choir and the New Dublin Voices, and continued to record and tour around the U.K.

After spending a number of years working in London, Hugh arrived in Perth in September 2010 to work at John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School, where he continues to be an active member of the Music Department. Hugh has immersed himself in the Music Education world of WA; he has been a vocal and trombone examiner for WACE practical exams, taught a Jazz Broadening Unit at UWA, written education packages for WAYJO and currently sits on the committee for the WA Schools Jazz Festival.

Hugh has also been able to continue his involvement in choral music, both as a singer and as conductor. He has performed in or alongside I Fagiolini, St George’s Cathedral Choir and Consort, The Rolling Stones, The Giovanni Consort, Schola Aedis Christi and The Winthrop Singers, and invitations have arisen to conduct several of Perth’s major choirs, including The Giovanni Consort, St George’s Cathedral Choir and Consort, St Mary’s South Perth and Schola Aedis Christi of Christ Church Claremont, where accepted the position of Musical Director in September 2016.